Based on the information in John (Jan) Kortlever’s obituary, the family arrived in Lynden in about 1900.1 Both John and his son Hugo appear in the Bellingham City Directory (which included Whatcom County) in 1901 and 1902. His obituary further stated that the family had spent the four years previous to their arrival in Minnesota.
I have not yet been able to locate the Kortlever family on the 1900 census. It is possible that they are on the move during the time of the June enumeration. Daughter Mary and the Burgraff family are in Nobles County, Minnesota, as are John’s brother’s Bastiaan and Peter Kortlever.
Jan and Maaike appear on the 1910 census in Lynden with their two youngest daughters Nellie and Jennie.2 On this census Maaike states she is the mother of 12 children, 6 of whom are still alive. Counting Baby Cornelis born about 1884 – I know of 10 children:
Cornelis – born 1873 Netherlands – not found after arrival record,
Maria (Mary) – born 1874 Netherlands – alive on 1910 census Lynden,
Hugo – born 1876 – alive on 1910 census Lynden,
Maaike – born 1877 – died 1877 Netherlands,
Bastiaan Cornelis – born 1878 Netherlands – not found after the 1885 Iowa census,
John Cornelis – born 1882 Netherlands – alive on later records,
Cornelis – born 1884 Iowa – not found after 1885 census,
Maaike (Maggie) – born 1885 Iowa – alive on 1910 census Lynden,
Cornelia (Nellie) – born 1890 Iowa – alive on 1910 census Lynden,
Jennie – born 1892 Iowa – alive on 1910 census Lynden.
The records are up on Genlias for the births of Jan and Maaike’s children and there are no other children listed in the Netherlands, although there is a gap between 1878 and 1882. There is also a gap between Maggie and Nellie in Iowa 1885 to 1890. Records in Iowa for the time period are pretty sketchy – anyone know of a family bible?
John and Maaike next appear on the 1920 census completed 7 January 1920 in Denver Colorado.3 They are there with their daughter Jennie and her husband Abraham Noteboom and Jennie’s child Cornelius Noteboom. They are in Denver because Jennie is desperately ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. The clear, dry air and higher altitude in Denver was a last hope for the family. The treatments did not help and Jennie was taken home to Lynden where she died later that year.
1. “Will Hold Kortlever Services Next Monday,” (Lynden) Lynden Tribune, Thur., 17 Aug 1922, p. 2.
2. 1910 U.S. census, Whatcom County, Washington population schedule, North Lynden, enumeration district (ED) 351, p. 5A, dwelling 87, family 87, John Kortlever, age 61; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 Aug 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T624, roll 1674.
3. 1920 U.S. census, Denver County, Colorado population schedule, Denver, enumeration district (ED) 46, p. 6A, dwelling 130, family 135, John Kortlever, age 70; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 10 Aug 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T625, roll 158.
Christopher Kortlever says
I believe you are mistaken, but I have found records of the Kortlever Family, which is my family, being in Lynden prior to 1900, somewhere around the 1860’s.
Sharon says
Thanks for your comment, Christopher. I can’t speak to when other Kortlever family members came to the US or where they went; however, the evidence provided in the Kortlever family posts for Jan and Maaike Flora (Bel) Kortlever is solid. They arrived in the US in the early 1880s and spent their first years in Iowa before moving to Lynden (est. 1874) at about the turn of the century. All of the sources for Jan and Maaike are provided on the site. Best wishes with your research.